Professors Harry and Ginny
by PixieKindOfCrazy
Summary: Harry and Ginny return to Hogwarts...as the teachers this time.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

"Well, Ron, do you think she'd want to come with me? I mean not the same post, but you know something she might enjoy like charms or care of magical creatures?"

Ron laughed and shifted in his chair in the living room of The Burrow, "I think she'd be perfect for charms teacher; she could teach all the little firsties to do a wicked bat bogey hex."

Harry laughed too at the sassy redhead, "She'd be right at home wouldn't she? I mean I know I've always felt at home in Hogwarts if nowhere else, and I think Ginny would love it, too," Harry reasoned.

Ron arched an eyebrow, "I agree, so why do you seem so nervous Harry?"

"Because…if she doesn't want to go, then-well, I know I'm excited to teach and the castle and staff will feel like family, but being away from Ginny for months at a time…I don't think I could do it, but if I give up the opportunity then…"

"I know what you mean, mate, but just ask her. Stop stalling," Ron leaned back in his chair and Hermione walked by and slapped the back of his head, "Don't break the chair Ron, your mom won't get a new one," she snapped in her usual tone.

"Ouch 'Mione, you think you could cut me some more slack now that we're engaged?" Ron grumbled.

Hermione smiled, "I'm always going to have to keep you in line, aren't I? Well, at least I don't have to worry about Harry here as much anymore," she sat down on the couch beside Harry.

"Hey, I haven't been THAT much trouble," Harry defended himself.

"Oh yeah" Ron started sarcastically, "Practically living here in our school days, constantly having someone try to kill you, everyone wanting your autograph, yeah you sure were NO trouble."

"I'll have you know that most of that was NOT under my control, I didn't ask a dark wizard to have it out for me."

"Of course you didn't, why would ANYONE do that? You still have to admit Ron's right, Harry."

Harry frowned, "Maybe I'll admit it later."

They all laughed.

"You were never good at admitting things, Harry," Hermione said, "You guys and your egos."

"Guys? Hermione you made Ron admit that you could handle yourself and he didn't have to beat up every guy that looked at you, just so he could go out with you," Harry said.

"Yes, I did, because I wasn't going to be with him if he was going to act like an idiot, but what does that have to do with my ego?"

"Nothing really, it's just funny to me to remember that," he laughed, "Remember he begged on his knees for your first date," Harry sighed, "Ah, so funny. Anyway, you also made him admit that you were the prettiest girl he'd ever seen, THAT has to do entirely with your ego, doesn't it 'Mione?" Harry asked.

She frowned, "Not ENITRELY. I don't think it's right to go out with someone and still look at others," she defended nervously.

"Yeah, but that's not why you did it, is it?" Ron asked, glad to get pay back.

Hermione blushed, "Maybe."

Harry and Ron laughed and shook their heads, "Girls," they muttered together.

When they were done kidding around-not they ever are- Harry straightened up, "Okay, I'll ask her, but I don't know. I really don't know how I would live with my choice if she said no, I mean obviously I would stay here with her, but I would be forever mad at myself for giving up the job."

Ron rolled his eyes, "Don't worry about it, mate. I'm TELLING you, she's going to say yes. I know my baby sister, and if there's one thing she's loves more than magic or Hogwarts, it's YOU, Harry. She's going to be thrilled," Ron still looked a little uncomfortable at remembering how much his little sister was in love with his best friend.

Harry smirked like a little boy, "Thanks Ron; I hope you're right."

"Aren't I always?" he grinned, full of himself.

"No, that's Hermione," Harry laughed and Hermione smiled.

"Well, I guess what they say about 'better half' is really true," Harry said.

Ron pouted, "I'm right sometimes," he mumbled.

"Of course you are," Hermione said, giving him a hug, which seemed to lift his mood.

"Thanks for helping, guys. I can't wait to tell Gin," Harry smiled, excited.

Just as he spoke the youngest Weasly came through the door, throwing her bag off her shoulder and onto the table, accidently swishing her bright hair.

"Tell me what?" she asked suspiciously, always curious.

"Uh," Harry shifted, "I'll tell you tonight. Come on, let's go and leave them alone."

Ginny eyed him carefully, "Fine," she said reluctantly, wanting to know what it was.

That night was Harry and Ginny's date- they were having a moonlight picnic by the lake near the Burrow. Ginny skipped too quickly down to the lake, eager to know the secret.

Harry laughed gently, following behind her, watching her go gracefully down to the soft grass by the lakeside.

"There's no hurry Gin," he said, "Just enjoy the night, it's beautiful, isn't it?" he stopped to look up and stare at the bright silver stars against the dark violet sky. Ever since the war ended and peace took over again, the night had always relaxed him into a sort of mellow calm.

She stopped too, to look up and stare at HIM as the moonlight shined in his midnight hair and glinted in his jewel eyes, he watched the night stilly, peacefully, and Ginny gasped at how beautiful his mood made him look. He looked to check on her when she gasped, breaking him out of the daze, "What?" he asked self consciously as she continued staring at him.

"I like you like this," she started, just stating the observation she just made; she never thought before she spoke, "Just you, still, appreciating. With wonder in your eyes and no weight on your shoulders. It must make you happy, doesn't it?" she asked him.

He smiled, "It _does_, and so do you," he took her hand as they lay down and lounged on the grass, it was cold, and oddly refreshing. Ginny pressed her face too it, wondering why it was so smooth.

"Why do I make you happy?" she asked, "Just curious."

He turned to look at her, hesitating, wondering why she would ask that, but he would never understand girls. He searched her face and all his memories with her, looking for an answer to that question. As he looked at her eyes gazing back at his, he thought of his reply.

"Because you're the one person I can count on, to always be around; you're too glued to me to leave," he winked, laughing at himself, "And you're the only one that understands the way I feel about you because you feel similarly towards me. You are the only person that will ever get why I wouldn't be real without you, why my heart hurts when you go away only for a minute, why I hardly ever have entire control of myself around you," he laughed at this, "Most people would think I was crazy if I told them this, but I've tried to imagine what I would be without you and all I ever see is emptyness, and get a chilled feeling, I got light-headed once when I thought about it too much. It scares me to no end. The way you make me feel is like a star forming in my mind, like I could be ripped to pieces and not feel anything as long as you're beside me. It's the best thing I've ever known. The way your eyes always see right through me, and how your hair moves and burns even when you don't mean it to-I've always thought of you as my fire, my life force, and I imagine that your hair is how it shines through. I love that you could probably beat professional quidditch players if you tried hard enough, because you _wanted _to. The ability to see what you want and being able to try hard enough to get it is an amazing thing, and you do it without thinking. You're the only girl I know that has ever slapped me when I was being an a** then kissed me hard right after, the slap because you were mad and because you know that normally when I'm being a jerk I _want _you to punish me so I don't feel so guilty, and the kiss…" he shook his head, remembering, "…because you knew you would enjoy it just like I did and you didn't care if it was a weird or inconvenient time, you knew that we NEEDED to kiss, I've never seen someone else be so good, so kind, and still be strong AND…hard-headed, or you could call it sassy. I am a twisted man, and I love that you understand that, that you know how to deal with me, even though you yourself has been through a lot just like I have, but it never took any of your spirit away, you kept all of the YOU inside you, and came out of the war twice as strong. You see, it's not that you MAKE me happy, it's that you ARE my happiness, my complete happiness, all of it comes from you. I can't live without that." He stared at her in awe when he was done explaining; realizing with every word that what he said was so real, so honest, so true to his core that it almost frightened him. She _was _a part of him; the MAIN part of him. He looked at his love lying next to him and reached out to brush her face with his hand, touching the core of his existence, in some ways his savior, he adored her, and he was glad and proud that he did. Not to mention ecstatic that she felt that way too.

Ginny's head was spinning, her mind tossing and turning at her boyfriend's beyond perfect words. She'd known that he loved her, that he needed her, that she made him happy, but she didn't know that she WAS love to him, that she WAS need to him and that he would wish to not exist without her, that she WAS his happiness in every way he knew how to tell her. She was fairly sure this was how she felt about him too, she thought about that as she watched his face, his brave, happy, brilliant features, his eyes seeing something in her that no one else on Earth could know. She was positive, she'd do anything for him to be whatever he wanted, she'd go anywhere, be anything, anyone.

"You're the same to me, you know?" she said.

He grinned breathlessly, "Is that so?"

She nodded sheepishly-out of character for her, "Uh-huh."

She couldn't imagine how happy that made him, a lot of their relationship was spent teasing and joking with each other, but they both knew there was that reason that they were never apart.

They gazed up at the stars for what seemed like forever and a day, but they didn't get bored, they were reveling in the feeling they gave to each other just by being near the other.

"I knew it wasn't a crush when I saw you, did you know that?" she asked randomly.

"No," he said bluntly, honestly, "I didn't. I didn't think to look at you that way, so I didn't know you thought of me like that for quite a while, and it took me even longer to realize that I didn't just follow you around helplessly because you were my friend. I was so stupid. I thought that the only reason my heart stopped when I saw you at the Yule Ball was because I was so nervous that you would make fun of me, as a friend, when you saw my dancing. Of course you DID do that, but I didn't think to realize that a friend wouldn't have been staring at me in my tux the whole time, and that a friend wouldn't stare at you because you're dress was like a magnet to me, I swore to merlin that you put a charm on that red dress to make me sick," the both laughed, "Now I think I probably only got sick at how little control I had over my mind or body when you were wearing it, I don't think I knew where I was walking when I was dancing, my date probably still thinks I'm crazy because when the dance was over-that I did the wrong move in every five seconds because I was staring at you- I walked completely out of the hall and puked in the bathroom then came back and when she asked me why I left, I was stunned and honestly said, 'I don't remember.' I was probably blocking it out. I didn't think that the reason my brain turned inside out when I saw you was because you were the hottest thing I'd ever seen, still are by the way," he grinned ear to ear and she rolled her eyes, "I took me six YEARS to figure out I was in love with you. Talk about slow," he chuckled at himself.

She giggled, "Well it took me a few seconds to figure out I was in love with you, but it took me six years to ADMIT it or act on it," she said, "Which do you think is more pathetic?"

"Me, no doubt. I could never think of you as pathetic," he said seriously.

She was shocked at how open, honest, and sincere he was being. They didn't talk about their love this seriously every day. It was like he was confessing after years how much she meant to him.

"Thank you," she said in the same tone as him, he didn't know how much that meant to her.

He nodded, "Anytime," he smirked.

They lay in silence again for a while, completely forgetting their food in the basket.

After a long time he turned to her, "Would you like to teach with me, Gin?" he asked casually.

She blinked, confused, "What do you mean? Teach what?"

"Well…I was thinking you'd want to teach charms, but Care of Magical Creatures could be good too, you could ask Hagrid to help you, if it was okay with Dumbledore **(a/n Dumbledore's alive in this because I want him to be, simple as that.) **But I don't see why it wouldn't be. He's ecstatic to have me back teaching DADA and happy about the possibility of you coming, too," he said, still casual as can be.

His words started making sense in her head and a smile began to grown on her face, "Do you mean-?"

He interrupted her, "I hope you don't mind, but I told them you might be coming, too."

She smiled madly and jumped up on top of him and hugged him, "Woo-hoo! We're going back to Hogwarts! And we get to be the authority this time! Ha, ha! Oh Harry, thank you!" she squealed.

He shook his head in shock that his girlfriend was now on top of him, "Uh…," he laughed, "You're very welcome, Sweetheart. I didn't realize you'd be this excited, I was afraid of what I would do if you said no."

She raised an eyebrow, "Why would I say no? It means my three favorite things; you, magic, and a really big quidditch pitch," she laughed exuberantly at this and he laughed, too, at her mood.

She looked into his eyes, "I can't believe we get to do this, Scarhead."

"Whoa, don't! You're giving me MALFOY flashbacks!" They giggled at the odd sensation of feeling like young kids again, when they were now 20 and 22.

"We're going back to where it all started, where it all happened, where our first date was, first kiss, first test and achieved spell. It's going to give us SO much déjà vu," she reminisced.

"You can say that again. Okay, how about we make a deal that whenever one of us has a flashback or déjà vu, we tell each other right away and the one who didn't experience it has to force the one with déjà vu to take a shot of firewhisky."

She gave him a look then giggled, "You're going to get so drunk. You know you can't handle firewhisky…remember the last time you were drunk? Boy that was a mess. You started stripping on the table in my living room, "she thought about it for a while, "Actually, I like that idea. You're on," she laughed, "I'm going to LIKE this."

He blushed beet red, remembering that, "I was surprised Ron didn't stab me with your mom's kitchen knife; I swear I saw him reach for it when I started to take my pants off for you." He shivered. She laughed wildly at that.

"Please don't wiggle that much when you're on top of me like that; it gives me ideas," he said, embarrassed.

She laughed and rolled her eyes again at his dirtiness, "Just think about it, in a couple days we'll be at Hogwarts."

An odd nostalgia look came into his eyes then, "I'll be home."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"Gin-neeee!" Ron called up the stairs, "Hurry UP! Harry's been waiting for almost an hour! I think he's going to hex you if you prolong his 'returing home' any longer," Ron finished.

"You know I just might do that!" Harry yelled up to Ginny's room, where she was mad dashing around her room and closet, trying to think of what all she would need and stuff it in her luggage.

"Calm down, boys! I'm almost done packing; I never knew I needed so much STUFF!" she told them,

"Hey Harry do you think I'll need my 'I heart Harry Potter' t-shirt or is that too much?" she asked.

"That won't embarrass me as much as you think," he bluffed.

"Stop bluffing!"

_Damn psychic, _Harry thought.

"I don't care if you bring you're 'I heart killing unicorns!' shirt, just GET DOWN HERE!" Ron bellowed.

In a few minutes Ginny came bustling down the stairs levitating her 5 suitcases behind her, "Merlin, Ron, you're sounding more and more like Mom and Dad every day."

Ron growled at that, insisting, like he had before, that he was never going to be 'adult…ish'

Harry stood up and kissed Ginny quickly before saying, "The train leaves at 12:00. We've gotta go. NOW."

He hurried them out the door, and Ron yelled after them, "Bye! I'll come visit as soon as I can! And I'll bring 'Mione!...Although I kinda have to, or she'd kill me…BYE!"

They laughed at their lovable brother and friend.

"Do you wanna go by car or broom to the station?" he asked.

She grinned, "Definitely broom," she said, "Oh and by the way I packed that t-shirt and I also packed my Harry Potter Rules bra," she giggled to herself as his eyes bugged out.

He shook his head, in a cartoon character way, "I _do _rule, don't I?"

She smirked, "I'm too biased to answer that question; you'll have to ask someone else."

He scoffed and started to levitate his luggage and hers, then at the same time he called their brooms to them and they hovered patiently in front of them.

"Hop on," he smiled.

"Wait? Where's your wand? How'd you do that without your wand?" she was puzzled.

He rolled his eyes, playfully, "Non-verbal spells, I mastered them a while ago, don't you remember?"

"Oh, I forgot, I guess. But…wait…no you didn't. Last time you practiced them you were fairly ok at them, but by far not mastered," she insisted.

"I wanted to surprise you," he winked, "Watch this."

He closed his eyes, concentrated hard for a moment, then without looking away from her face, he was making the water in the lake behind them rise out of the lake and float at about 20 feet above the ground. He smiled at her when her mouth dropped in shock. The water levitated for a few minutes, shining in the morning sun, then he dropped his control and it all fell down and sloshed back into place, splashing them both a bit.

"There," he said, obviously smug "What do you think?"

She laughed a little, recoiling from the water as he shook his hair dry like a dog.

She rolled her eyes, "You're great at everything, I already knew that, now get on your broom," she snapped.

He frowned, "Not until you tell me if you liked it," he demanded, then looked down, suddenly shy, "I kind of learned it to impress you."

She laughed, "Didn't we pass that stage in our relationship about four years ago?"

He shrugged, "Old habits die hard."

"Harry, I love you, most of the things you do will impress me just because of that, okay?"

He jumped skillfully up onto his sleek black with red lining style broom- a Firefly 300, "All right, fine," he humphed.

She hopped on her yellow, shiny one- a Sunchaser.

She looked over at him and grinned, "By the way, I loved what you did, but like I would tell you that," she threw her head back and laughed, then sped away in font of him without warning.

Ginny called back over her shoulder, "Race ya!"

Once Harry got over the shock and remembered to keep the bags levitating behind him he raced off to catch up with her, "You're on Weasly!" he frowned for a minute, "Uh…that reminds me of Ron, seems so wrong, ugh, nevermind!" he yelled up to her blurry form.

He heard Ginny's distant laugh at his comment and knew he was getting close.

He tipped the neck of his broom forward slightly and he shot forward in double time.

"Woo hoo!" he hollered, speeding through the sky, the wind whipping his face flinging his hair back.

He hardly noticed when-a few minutes later- he blew past Ginny sending her hair up in a whirl and causing her to humph and yell, "Cheater," at him, he just kept flying, farther and farther, faster and faster; he so loved flying. Needless to say, they both got too caught up having fun flying and totally missed their train. :D

A few hours later, he took a glanced down and watched the last rays of light glint dimly on the clear Hogwarts waters.

He looked over at Ginny and saw the light-same as it did on the water- gleam off her hair and to him it looked prettier than the water could ever dream of being. He studied her peaceful face for a while without her noticing then looked away. He looked up ahead waiting and searching, for his first look at the castle in four years. And sure enough, a couple minutes later, he saw the light from a million candles illuminating every window in the wonderfully huge castle, the many turrets and peaked roofs towering high over head of them, the gates throwing shadows across the richly green grass from the evening sun going down, and taking its resting place behind the magnificent castle. He looked around eagerly, taking it all in again. He spotted Hagrid's hut on the same little safe hill it always rested on, looking exactly the same except Harry thought that he might have gotten a new door, it looked blue to him instead of the usual brown. He looked to the right and saw the dark, eerie swaying of every tree in the Forbidden Forest, whooshing from the flowing wind. He saw a flash of blond hair and a horse's leg, and smiled to himself, "Firenze," he said quietly, glad that his old centaur friend still taught at Hogwarts.

He started grinning as they slanted their brooms down to the ground and stepped off onto the Hogwart's walkway. Ginny quickly 'allo hamora'ed the lock on the gate and stepped inside, she paused-one hand still on the black iron fence- and smiled warmly at Harry, "Welcome home."

Harry just laughed, looking out beyond the fence at the grounds again, and was filled with silent joy as he stepped inside the gate and took Ginny's hand. Together they started walking up to the door to the Grand Hall.

Ginny pulled Harry along by the hand, stressed that they were late on their first day, "Come on Harry! We're so late!"

He just chuckled at her, "Gin, _we_'re the teachers now, we can't punish ourselves! We're not students, and besides how much damage could we cause from being late on the first night. Classes don't start until the day after tomorrow!"

Ginny screeched to a halt and looked back at him, hands on her hips, "You didn't TELL me that!" she started, "I've been worrying that we might have missed our first class or something, and plus I haven't had dinner yet!" her face was growing to resemble the shade of her hair.

"But, Ginny, you went to school here for seven years! How could you forget that the term doesn't start until a couple days AFTER you arrive? It's to give students a chance to settle in and teachers a chance to make their lesson plans, I 'm guessing."

She scowled at him, "I thought it might have changed since we came here!"

"But it was only four years ago that…" he trailed off, backing away from the look the girl was giving him, it was the kind she often gave him that said, 'If you enjoy living, shut UP!'

"Sorry Gin-Gin," he said, his voice laced with a little fear but mostly amusement. Of course he knew he shouldn't anger her further, but he couldn't help it; he loved seeing her get worked up. The use of her nickname seemed to make it worse, and so did his insincere apology.

"Harry…" she growled.

"Oo scary, Ginevra," he answered back, boldly, loving that he got to tease her.

She narrowed he eyes to a deadly mask, and curled her left hand into a fist as her right reached agitatedly to her wand in her front pocket of the teachers robes they'd put on at a stop during their trip.

He stepped back in real fear now, a fair bit of the amusement leaving his system.

"Hexing time," Ginny muttered quietly; the strange calm in her voice was the scariest thing.

Harry's eye grew wide with terror; Ginny was a wicked hexer. He gulped and slowly stepped in front of her, trying to get away, like a deer trying to run before the predator pounces.

Ginny said only one word, "Run."

And with that, he was off, running as fast as his legs would take him while idly wondering if she was mad enough to kill him even though she loved him so much that she would die without him. It was a conundrum, Harry decided. Then he decided that it didn't matter if he figured it out if he was already dead. Then he decided he should run faster. Then he thought that the hall was way too long. (a/n That's my last 'then he' I swear. *giggle giggle*) the length couldn't be _necessary! I mean, come ON people! _Harry thought.

"Harry POTTER!" Ginny bellowed as Harry tried to fling open the door to the Great Hall-it was a big door; hard to open that fast. Harry ran quickly through the door, Ginny on his tail. Just when they burst in, all conversation in the room stopped. Dumbledore had been saying, 'Two of our new teachers seem to be lat-' but he was cut off by Ginny's angered screams.

"Oh never mind; they're here," Dumbledore announced cheerfully, "Just wonderful."

Ginny seemed oblivious to the wide-eyed stares, gawking, and whispering, and Harry was too preoccupied trying to not get killed by the girl he loved to care that he was being carefully analyzed by all the students.

"Don't run from ME Potter!"

His name sent uproar through the crowd; every one knew who Harry was, and almost the entire wizard world loved him.

There were several 'I can't believe it's him!'s and a couple 'Why's that loony girl trying to massacre him?'s

"But you TOLD me to run, Gin!" Harry said defensively.

"I take it back!" she yelled as they passed the Hufflepuff table who were watching, riveted.

"Bloody ****in' troll boggies!" Harry yelled. There were a few giggles at that.

"Watch you're language in front of the children!" Ginny ordered.

There were protests of 'I'm not a child!' from the older students and shocked gasps from the younger ones that Harry had cursed.

"Cursing? You're concerned with that when you're about to MURDER me in front of them?" Harry asked, amazed.

"Yes," she shouted, "I AM! And I'll have you know that the hexing could be very educational for them!"

"And it could also be illegal!" he protested.

Ginny just laughed, "No; it's NOT! I checked!" she laughed to herself, having more fun than she thought she would.

Harry stopped dead in his tracks, "Dear God," he muttered, "My girlfriend's insane!" A fit of laughter went through the hall.

Ginny grimaced at him, then looked blankly at him for a few seconds before they both burst out laughing at themselves, bending over their knees for support. What an entrance. .

When the were done they were suddenly all too aware of the fact that every single pair of eyes in the huge room were looking right at them, mouths hung open in shock, total silence rang awkwardly through the room.

Harry shifted nervously and ran his hand through his disheveled, dark hair, "Uh…" he cleared his throat, "Um, hi everyone. I'm Harry Potter and I'm your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

It was hardly a second later before a thunderous roar of laughing, chatting, and applause echoed in everyone's ears. Harry winced back from the sound, then remembered something.

"Oh," Harry spoke up over the crowd, "And I forgot this is Weasly. She'll be your new…" he looked at Ginny, "What are you teaching again? Charms or Care of Magical Creatures?"

She smiled and rolled her eyes, "I told you I was teaching charms, weren't you listening?"

"Oh now I remember," Harry stared at her, like she was missing something, "You were only wearing a towel when you told me that because you had just gotten out of the shower."

He waited for het to get it. She didn't.

"So?" Ginny said, sounding confused.

Harry grinned crookedly, "I didn't hear a word you said." He winked at her boyishly.

She laughed and shook her head, "Hormone-ridden moron," she picked on him.

Harry turned back to the crowd, "So, yeah. She's going to be your new Charms Teacher."

The people close enough that had heard their conversation laughed madly, and the rest clapped, not as loud as before though.

Dumbledore cleared his throat, "So I guess you all won't be needing me to introduce your two new teachers," he said, chuckling softly at the pair.

"Two new teachers that are late," McGonagall added, looking fondly at her two old students.

Harry bit his lip, "Er, yeah, sorry Professor," he mumbled.

McGonagall laughed-and many students looked shocked to see her actually, sincerely laugh, especially when someone had just broken more than one rule- and said, "Harry, you're my colleague now, not my student. You can call Minerva."

He smiled at her, "Sorry; old habit. And I think I'd rather just keep calling you Professor," he said timidly, honestly it felt weird to even be working with his old teachers.

She smiled, "All right," she nodded at him, "Mr. Potter."

She turned to Ginny, "And I assume you would like to be called Ms. Weasly. Or-forgive me; I'm terribly out of touch with you two lately- do you go by Mrs. Potter now?" she asked, much to the embarrassment of both Ginny _and _Harry. They both had a coughing fit before once again, Ginny won the blushing contest.

"Um, actually no. Not yet. Uh, yeah. And you can just call me Ginny."

She laughed, "Oh my mistake _Ginny_; I just assumed."

Dumbledore cut in to take the attention away from Ginny, "Well I only have a few things before we start our feast. Firstly, only 7th years and staff are allowed in the Dark Forest besides for detentions. Next, the Black Lake is included in your curfew-no sneaking out after dark."

Harry might've been mistaken, but he could've sworn that Dumbledore gave him and Ginny and a funny look when he said that, then he remembered the time in his 6th year that he had convinced Ginny to have a midnight swim with him in the Black Lake. He laughed to himself as Dumbledore finished the announcements.

"Now…dig in!" he said, "Without shovels please," he said courteously which made Harry wonder for the millionth time if Dumbledore's age was effecting him. Dumbledore clapped twice and a feast appeared before them on the gleaming mahogany tables, lights glowing on and banners for each house unfurling grandly as it always used to do. The whole display made the room look…inviting. Harry broke out into a grin, he couldn't help it; he loved this place.

He looked over at Ginny whose chestnut eyes were wide staring adoringly at the magic that just happened; she obviously had missed it too.

He smirked at her, "C'mon, Gin. Let's get seats. We get to sit at the Big People Table now," he joked and she laughed brightly in return.

"You're still just the same, I don't think we're mature enough to be teachers," she reasoned.

"Learn by trial and error Gin, that's what I always say," he grinned as they took their seats at the head table for the teachers.

Harry was seated with Hagrid to his right and Ginny to his left, Ginny had Harry on her right side and McGonagall on her left.

"Still teaching Hagrid?" Harry asked.

Hagrid smiled oafishly (no pun or offense intended) at Harry, "Yeah. Care o' Magical Critters still. Ginny 'ere was gonna be me second in command, but…"

"But Ginny doesn't do the backseat," Harry finished with a grin.

Ginny sat up straighter (almost unconsciously), "Sure don't," and continued right on with eating her meal.

"Well, we've certainly missed you. We're both glad to be back."

"I can speak for myself, Potter," Ginny grinned as she teased him back.

"Don' we know it?" Hagrid smiled at her.

She laughed, "He's right though, Hagrid. Ron misses you too. He said he'll visit us soon," she told him, "Oh and he'd bring Hermione."

"More like Hermione'd bring HIM," Harry said to himself, laughing.

"Would'n that be great. It be like er reunion o' the misfits," he chuckled deeply, shaking his plate a little.

Harry grinned sheepishly, looking down at his plates, "We ARE still misfits aren't we?"

"Not tot-lly. Misfits er normly lost. You all got homes and family," he smiled warmly. With Hagrid being so frightening at first glance, you would never guess from his first impression or the way he talk that Hagrid is a really smart person, especially in what counts.

The two young adults smiled at him brightly.

"So do you, Hagrid," Harry grinned some more.

"Oh I know," he laughed heartily as McGonagall got out the Sorting Hat and sat it on the stool in front of the room, as was customary, " S' this old place. Always will be, I reckon."

Harry looked around the room from the new students, to the 7th years, to the teachers, at the bewitched ceiling and finally to Ginny. She was trying to pretend she wasn't listening to their conversation, giving them privacy, but he could see the slight smirk on her face as she was probably mentally predicting his next words.

"Mine too," Harry smiled as Ginny's smirk became a smug grin. Except she had no idea that Harry was not looking at Hagrid when he answered him. He was looking at her. And he wasn't necessarily talking about Hogwarts.


End file.
